Reverse Direction Is this a New England thing?

[roadman65]

I was noticing that along MA 2 near Fitchburg, MA and along US 1 Bypass at Portsmouth, NH uses the term "Reverse Direction" for directing motorists through interchanges to make a u turn.

Most places I have been either use the phrase "U Turn" or use a route shield with the opposite direction's cardinal direction.  Or many places, like Florida, do not use anything at all but hope we all know from common sense that we should automatically use an interchange for turning about.

[Pete from Boston]

New Jersey uses "U-TURN" in black on white for these movements.  In New England I have seen  "To reverse direction..." where there are businesses on a divided highway.

[The Nature Boy]

New Jersey uses "U-TURN" in black on white for these movements.  In New England I have seen  "To reverse direction..." where there are businesses on a divided highway.

I've seen that here in Maine. I've also seen the Reverse Direction signs not lead to a U-Turn but rather a side street that loops back to the main road.

[KEVIN_224]

I'll have to check the US Route 1 north jug handle in Peabody, the next time I'm on the bus to Maine!

[roadman65]

New Jersey does use the black on white U Turn thing because most divided highways have no median breaks and are either Jersey Freeways or road's that have "All turns from right lane" at all intersections.  This helps you find your way to make the best turnabout.

I have seen, though, here in Florida at J Turns an exclusive arrow going up and around counter clockwise to return down to show that its  a U Turn only turn.

[jwolfer]

New Jersey uses "U-TURN" in black on white for these movements.  In New England I have seen  "To reverse direction..." where there are businesses on a divided highway.

I've seen that here in Maine. I've also seen the Reverse Direction signs not lead to a U-Turn but rather a side street that loops back to the main road.

The NJ jughandles are signed many times with U turn even when they loop around a building

[bzakharin]

NJ signs non-jughandle U-turns too. For example there is one on 73 South at 561 South:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6819753,-74.888339,3a,75y,126.35h,75.81t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRbZcpo6F8SPtCJqhQhtT_A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

[roadman]

I'll have to check the US Route 1 north jug handle in Peabody, the next time I'm on the bus to Maine!

Signs for the Peabody jughandle no longer say 'To Reverse Direction".  They now say "Second Right for (arrow) Turn".

[Alps]

Now that NJ-style jughandle U-turn signs have made it to the MUTCD, I expect them to replace Reverse Direction and the other regional variants that were developed in the vacuum provided by earlier MUTCDs.

[MrDisco99]

I was on US1 around Danvers recently and I don't recall seeing any signs helping motorists turn around.  I even asked at a McDonald's drive thru where I could turn around and she was just like "I don't know... just keep going you should see a sign..."  Eventually I figured out the interchanges with MA62 and MA114 were cloverleafs, and were good for that purpose.

[Pete from Boston]

Now that NJ-style jughandle U-turn signs have made it to the MUTCD, I expect them to replace Reverse Direction and the other regional variants that were developed in the vacuum provided by earlier MUTCDs.

There are variants of the reverse direction signs that are not replaced in kind by the New Jersey-style U-turn sign.  Specifically, and I have been looking for an example ever since this thread came up, I have seen them strategically situated at places where motorists might be distracted by looking around for a way to get to a popular destination across a median strip. These signs typically state, "To reverse direction use [street.]"

[roadman65]

I was once in Boston and wanted to follow Storrow Drive for complete clinching, and I ended up on an arterial that was divided, but no intermediate intersection crossovers, and most of all NO U TURN signs at every intersection, and no side roads that were eligible for turning into to turn back out from either.

I drove several miles before I could figure out a way I could turnabout!  Reverse Direction signs and even a Jersey U TURN sign would be most welcome on that roadway.   Since that experience, I now know the importance of them signs.

Even in Florida in the tourist areas, we should have them even with the noticeable J turns and frequent median crossovers!  About 1000 feet before a crossover, or 500 feet in dense areas of median breaks would be most welcome for a sign.  The sign should be placed on the left side of the road as that is where the turns are.  Florida has no U turn from the right lanes anyway, like NJ does, but NJ at least denotes U TURN FROM RIGHT LANE if it does though.  Although in Elizabeth along US 1 & 9, there are no jug handles or signage in the field there, is the exception and not the norm, but at least you have square blocks to go around.  However, you may have that one person who has no common sense to figure it out that you can just "round the block" to go left or as those in New England say "Reverse Direction."

[Pete from Boston]

I was once in Boston and wanted to follow Storrow Drive for complete clinching, and I ended up on an arterial that was divided, but no intermediate intersection crossovers, and most of all NO U TURN signs at every intersection, and no side roads that were eligible for turning into to turn back out from either.

I drove several miles before I could figure out a way I could turnabout!  Reverse Direction signs and even a Jersey U TURN sign would be most welcome on that roadway.   Since that experience, I now know the importance of them signs.

Even in Florida in the tourist areas, we should have them even with the noticeable J turns and frequent median crossovers!  About 1000 feet before a crossover, or 500 feet in dense areas of median breaks would be most welcome for a sign.  The sign should be placed on the left side of the road as that is where the turns are.  Florida has no U turn from the right lanes anyway, like NJ does, but NJ at least denotes U TURN FROM RIGHT LANE if it does though.  Although in Elizabeth along US 1 & 9, there are no jug handles or signage in the field there, is the exception and not the norm, but at least you have square blocks to go around.  However, you may have that one person who has no common sense to figure it out that you can just "round the block" to go left or as those in New England say "Reverse Direction."

You ended up on Soldiers Field Road. There are places you can turn around every half mile or so, but it is true that there are no obvious signs like there are in New Jersey.  In fact, the last time I was in that area regularly, which was about a year ago, I recall there being no sign at all for the jughandle that is the only U-turn for about a mile there.

[Alps]

Now that NJ-style jughandle U-turn signs have made it to the MUTCD, I expect them to replace Reverse Direction and the other regional variants that were developed in the vacuum provided by earlier MUTCDs.

There are variants of the reverse direction signs that are not replaced in kind by the New Jersey-style U-turn sign.  Specifically, and I have been looking for an example ever since this thread came up, I have seen them strategically situated at places where motorists might be distracted by looking around for a way to get to a popular destination across a median strip. These signs typically state, "To reverse direction use [street.]"

U TURN 1/4 MILE or U TURN (up arrow) are valid.

[ixnay]

New Jersey uses "U-TURN" in black on white for these movements.

So does Pennsylvania.

In Delaware, I have seen this white on green overhead sign at DE 896 and Old Chestnut Hill Rd. in Newark near the U of D sports complex...

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6544489,-75.7510242,3a,75y,30.24h,89.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s8WS8fjYejbrKdK-YLHvXJQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6556425,-75.7513729,18z/data=!5m1!1e1

ixnay

[yakra]

New Jersey uses "U-TURN" in black on white for these movements.  In New England I have seen  "To reverse direction..." where there are businesses on a divided highway.

I've seen that here in Maine. I've also seen the Reverse Direction signs not lead to a U-Turn but rather a side street that loops back to the main road.

Having grown up in Maine, it's a very familiar phrase.
I found this example in Augusta: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Augusta,+ME/@44.3132446,-69.7961494,3a,66.8y,103h,87.24t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s4IV9PjgUdPJI4FZe3AJF-Q!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cb200fdafacc49d:0x79a3488d64220b2d
I also GMSVed around US1 in Brunswick (at the I-295 connector) and Woolwich (SB approaching the ME-127 south interchange just before the Sagadahoc Bridge) but came up empty-handed.

[mariethefoxy]

The ones in New Hampshire on NH 101 in Nashua have a diagram picture https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7828429,-71.5037571,3a,40.4y,303.05h,85.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOORHk2yRQPt9weJ4tYUCIA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[jeffandnicole]

The ones in New Hampshire on NH 101 in Nashua have a diagram picture https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7828429,-71.5037571,3a,40.4y,303.05h,85.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOORHk2yRQPt9weJ4tYUCIA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Heck, they go all out for this jughandle! https://goo.gl/maps/TgpkJd5axXz

[mariethefoxy]

oh gods, thats right across the street from the all u can eat sushi buffet I got badly sick at 

But anyway, there must have been something next to that All Turns sign that was taken down decades ago.

[Pete from Boston]

The ones in New Hampshire on NH 101 in Nashua have a diagram picture https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7828429,-71.5037571,3a,40.4y,303.05h,85.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOORHk2yRQPt9weJ4tYUCIA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I'm glad you brought this up because I forgot about those.  They number the jughandles on this part of 101A like exits!

[noelbotevera]

A vague memory of mine tells me either CT or RI uses them...however I'm more accustomed to U-Turn, so my mind could be hallucinating saying that it said "U-Turn".

Side note: Would "hallucinating" be the right word here?

[NJRoadfan]

I never realized the NJ style signs weren't a nationwide thing. NJ is fairly good about telling you where the U-Turn is in areas where it isn't obvious, like the Tonnele Circle (look to the right).

[roadman65]

NJ also signs them on interstates, like I-78 W Bound at Diamond Hill Road in Berkley Heights.  There is no way to turnabout there, so it lets you know that there is no u turns on a white plate beneath the main exit guide.  Ditto for Drift Road in Watchung where you have a three quarter diamond interchange with a missing ramp to I-78 E Bound.

All the interchanges along that part of I-78, which was the hold out due to the environment making it open later than the rest of it ,are totally incomplete.  I do not know if that were the deal that was made to get the road done just like those wildlife bridges that also had to be built, or what, but to go from Exit 48 to Exit 40 is a long way to make a u turn.

[yakra]

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6024555,-70.3192649,3a,75y,190.6h,82.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZmhu02EdrKq6J17KdMQY1Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656